VATICAN - “The conscience, sanctuary of the person, metaphorical source of water which can be polluted but which is purified by returning to the source”: Pontifical Academy for Life concludes Congress

Monday, 26 February 2007

Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - In the presence of about 400 participants from all over the worlds and important speakers from far away countries, the 13th general assembly of the Pontifical Academy for Life was held in the Vatican on 23 and 24 February
This was the first meeting of its kind on the theme “The Christian Conscience Supports the Right to Life”.
“With this congress, said academy president Mgr Elio Sgreccia, we want to underline the identity of the Christian conscience and what it means to be a Christian.” “The conscience is often called the sanctuary of the person, the most secret nucleus which decides man’s action ”, the Bishop underlined. “Since it is a sacred place the conscience can also be profaned, destroyed but like the temple it can be rebuilt”
“Conscience seen as a source of water must remain pure, upright, certain. It can be polluted but returning to the source it is purified ”, said Mgr. Sgreccia.
In his intervention the Academy president said the Christians must have recourse to conscience objection against abortion, euthanasia, same sex marriage.
“Anything that prevents the implantation of the embryo is a matter for conscience objection”, he explained. “Until now we were familiar with objection of conscience in two fields, against military service and war and against abortion and sterilisation”. Today, he added there are many other cases. “For example the day after pill, or chemical abortion, and other methods including vaccines used in the third world”.
The congress prolusion was given by Cardinal Lozano Barragán, president of the Pontifical Council for Health Pastoral who examined the relationship between conscience and culture and exposed his reflections on writings of John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI on conscience.
The second day was opened by Academy vice president Mgr Jean Laffitte who spoke about “the history of conscience objection and different views of the concept of tolerance”. Mgr Laffitte spoke of ‘paradoxical theory’ that “an ideologically tolerant society, in the present day sense of the term, cannot tolerate conscience objection because this escapes its control: in fact it cannot tolerate the idea that there is a truth to be found”. “To escape this totalitarian undertaking, the only response is the positive affirmation of human dignity as a truth valid for all”.
In his intervention on the relationship between conscience and institutions, which followed that of Mgr Laffitte, professor Gerard Memeteau gave an overview of legislation in Europe.
Professor Luke Gormally director of Linacre Centre for Health Care Ethics in London, an expert in palliative treatment, spoke about personal and social responsibility in the context of the protection of human life.
The closing intervention was given by Cardinal Ivan Dias, Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples on “Commitment of Christian consciences to promote life in developing countries”. The Prefect highlighted three fundamental principles which should guide Christians in the promotion of life: the primacy of charity, the formation of conscience and the necessity to renew efforts to announce God’s absolute and universal Lordship over the world and mankind as a concrete way to promote human life. Cardinal Dias said “the promotion of human life in developing countries goes beyond problems of genetics and forms of reproduction”, and that “Christ is the only valid response, for all the efforts we can make we will never fully respond to the demand for the fullness of life”. (AP) (26/2/2007 Agenzia Fides; Righe:50; Parole: 640)


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